Polemonium plant named &#39;Polelodge&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Polemonium  plant named ‘Polelodge’, characterized by its basal clumping habit; dense and bushy appearance; numerous green and yellow variegated leaves; small violet blue-colored flowers; long flowering period; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Polemonium reptans.

Cultivar denomination: ‘POLELODGE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Polemonium plant, botanically known as Polemonium reptans, commonly known as Jacob's Ladder and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Polelodge’.

The new Polemonium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Battlesbridge, Wickford, Essex, United Kingdom. The new Polemonium plant originated from an open-pollination in Battlesbridge, Wickford, Essex, United Kingdom of an unnamed selection of Polemonium reptans, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent, with an unknown selection of Polemonium reptans as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Polemonium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled nursery environment in Battlesbridge, Wickford, Essex, United Kingdom in May, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Polemonium plant by basal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Battlesbridge, Wickford, Essex, United Kingdom since June, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Polemonium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Polemonium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Polelodge’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Polelodge’ as a new and distinct Polemonium plant:

-   -   1. Basal clumping habit.     -   2. Dense and bushy appearance.     -   3. Numerous green and yellow variegated leaves.     -   4. Small violet blue-colored flowers.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Polemonium and the female parent selection differ primarily in leaf color as plants of the female parent selection have solid green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Polemonium can be compared to plants of Polemonium reptans ‘Stairway to Heaven’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,187. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Polemonium and ‘Stairway to Heaven’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Polemonium are taller and broader than         plants of ‘Stairway to Heaven’.     -   2. Plants of the new Polemonium and ‘Stairway to Heaven’ differ         in leaf color as plants of ‘Stairway to Heaven’ have white and         grey variegated leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Polemonium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Polemonium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a top perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Polelodge’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Polelodge’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 5-liter containers and ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Bressingham, Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom and under cultural practices typically used in commercial Polemonium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from −6° C. to 15° C. Plants were 15 months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2000 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Polemonium reptans ‘Polelodge’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Polemonium             reptans, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Polemonium             reptans, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By basal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at soil             temperatures about 15° C. and ambient temperatures about 18°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 20 days             at soil temperatures about 15° C. and ambient temperatures             about 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 158C in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; basal clumping             habit; dense and bushy appearance; moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 45 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 60 cm to 70 cm. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Compound with about eight to 20 leaflets per             leaf.         -   Leaf length.—About 15 cm to 25 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm.         -   Leaflet length.—About 2 cm to 6 cm.         -   Leaflet width.—About 0.5 cm to 1.5 cm.         -   Leaflet shape.—Elliptical.         -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.         -   Leaflet base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaflet margin.—Entire.         -   Leaflet texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces.—Pubescent; dull.         -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves (spring), upper and lower surfaces:             Variegated, close to 70A and 3B. Fully expanded leaves             (summer and autumn), upper and lower surfaces: Variegated,             close to 146C and 3C; occasionally during the summer, leaves             will be solid yellow, close to 3B or 3C; venation, close to             145D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             dull. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rotate flowers             arranged in compound cymes; flowers face mostly outwardly;             freely flowering habit with about 130 flowers developing per             plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants             flower continuously from May to July in the United Kingdom.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about 20 days on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Texture and luster: Smooth; dull. Color:             Close to 3B or 3C.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 25 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:             Orbicular. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; satiny; dull. Color: When opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 92C. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 92D; venation, close to 92B; color does             not change with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused towards the base; calyx, campanulate. Length:             About 6 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; dull. Color: When opening, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 3B or 3C. Fully opened, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 3B to 3C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; dull. Color: Close to 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             five. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to             16A. Anther size: About 3 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape: Tubular.             Anther color: Close to 16A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Light yellowish orange. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Tubular.             Stigma color: Close to 150D. Style length: About 3 mm. Style             color: Close to 150D. Ovary color: Close to 150D.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: About three. Length: About 3 mm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Texture: Slightly rough. Color: Close             to 166D. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Polemonium have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind,     temperatures ranging from about −15° C. to about 30° C. and to be     suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Polemonium have been     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Polemonium plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Polemonium plant named ‘Polelodge’ as illustrated and described. 